Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Gays again sidelined at NYC St. Patty’s Day Parade
03.17.2009 3:39pm EDT
(New York City) There was no wearin’ of the pink once again in this year’s St Patrick’s Day Parade down Fifth Avenue. For 18 years the Ancient Order of Hibernians which organizes the parade has barred Irish gay groups from marching.
At 57th Street, a small group of Irish American gays and lesbians staged a quiet protest. But among the hundreds of thousands who lined the streets they were virtually invisible.The city’s highest ranking gay politician, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, boycotted the parade again this year.
Quinn was at the White House where President Barack Obama welcomed the Prime Minister of Ireland.
Last year, Quinn missed the parade to attend David Paterson’s swearing in as the new governor. The year before she was in Ireland where gays marched openly in the parade in Dublin.
Before leaving for Washington, Quinn said she hoped to talk with the President about LGBT issues.
As she did before last year’s parade, Quinn attempted to set up a meeting between the Hibernians and gay representatives and again this year the conservative Catholic men’s group ignored the invitation.
The Hibernians claim the parade is a private, religious procession in order to to justify keeping LGBT groups out.
In the early 1990s, the parade committee used the argument to defeat a discrimination claim brought by the NYC Human Rights Commission.
A federal judge ruled that the organization could bar the gay group on the grounds of religious freedom.
The New York parade is the nation’s largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade, but gays are also rejected at marches in other cities, including Boston.
would you please at least attempt to use English: the Irish diminutive for Patrick is PADDY
well, first-drinking and god have gone hand in hand since got had siblings and they lived on a big hill-so i got no problem calling the parade religious. also, read back on some of these notes. They are CATHOLIC. Why would you want to be in a catholic parade. I mean, catholic boys are fun, but they aren’t exactly keepers, and well see them at our parade later in the year anyway. Everyone should just let them have their parade and spend our money on more important issues like marriage equality and protection from malicious firing and harrassement.
Muise, a Mhurchu,
Tá Gaeilge agat, nach bhfuil?
I like Randy’s idea – try to steal some of their fire directly, with a parade of our own. (After all, it’s not only GLBTQ folks who are offended by our exclusion from the parade – there are plenty of straight allies who sympathize with our cause, and would probably be willing to elect our celebration over the bigots’).
I’ll start by naming our parade’s Bear contingent: the Ancient Order of Hibernators.
Reverend Boony,
The parade itself is a secular event run by an Irish Catholic oriented group (AOH Ancient Order of Hibernians)
And Nick Naomh Padhraig (Saint Patrick) was there before the Roman Catholic church was in Ireland (Eire)
And this is a largely secular and fun loving occasion recognizing one of the largest ethnic groups in USA Gael Meiriceanaigh (Irish Americans)
As I a person of Irish American descent as well as English and German, and as s gay person (duine aerach) I will celebrate this day as part of my heritage as I have for years.
The Irish (na hEireannaigh) had contributed greatly to our American Revolution to gain freedom from the British who oppressed both the colonies and Ireland.
The gay Irish should run their own parade at the same time as the official one.
La Fheile Padhraig shona daoibh go leir!
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you all!
Morgan (Murchu)
i think that the gay and lesbian and trangender people should be proud of the fight that they gave to march in these trying times but we must remember not to force it we are trying to get our equal rights not trying to rain on everyones parade every one will not want to accept our kind cause they dont understand that god made us so we have a purpose so who cares if we didnt get a chance to march just the point of us standing up for what we believe in gotta mean some thing!!
I refuse to wear Green on St Pattys Day till all can celebrate in the parade.
Mr Donohue
If anyone in the LGBT community feels offended by this then write the mayor and other politicians in NYC stating why they are offended and that they will not travel to NYC for leisure or business until this is righted. Our dollars speak. I personally have emailed with the Ministers of Tourism for several States letting them know why I do not go to their State and the amount of money we spend on travel to gay-friendly/supportive places. Trust me, letters make a difference. Sitting back fuming does nothing but give you bad gas. Let the air out and tell the people who are in a position to make changes.
Gosh, the bigots are being bigots. Such a surprise.
Just how private is a parade of 500,000 — seems public to me & when I attended I saw many things, but religious? No, I didn’t think so.
So a mass drunkfest is now considered a religious event? I’m sure god will be pleased once he sobers up.
Gee, we weren’t invited to a KKKatholic celebration parade?!? Awwwww…just breaks my lil’ ol’ heart. Guess we’ll have to remember to not invite the KKKatholic pukes to our Gay Pride Parade Celebration. =))
In my opinion, if the st. patricks day parade is really a religious thing then I gotta wonder if having that parade in public and being represented as non-religious isnt a possible violation of the first amendment.
Why would any self-respecting gay or lesbian want to celebrate a Catholic holiday? Hello! This is the church that used to burn us (and still probably wishes it could)!
why not petion the city for a gay parade permit to coincide with the St.Patricks Day parade. It could follow or precede them and be more fabulous and still be not part of their celebration?